Holder for heels or top-lifts.



F. W. GLEASON. HOLDER FOR HEELS 08 TOP LIFTS.

5 1 9 1 04 2 6 n H J d 6 t H w a P A'PPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, I908.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO. FHOTGKLITHQ, WASHINGTON. D C.

FREDERICK WILLSON GLEASON, 0F LESTERSHIRE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITEDSHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

HOLDER FOR HEELS OR TOP-LIFTS.

Application filed February 3, 1908.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. GLEA- son, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lestershire, in the county ofBroome and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements inHolders for Heels or Top- Lifts, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likereference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in theseveral figures.

This invention relates to holders for heels or top lifts and moreparticularly to holders for use in heel attaching machines.

In the use of heel attaching machines now employed in the manufacture ofboots and shoes it is commonly found desirable in changing from one sizeof heel to another to maintain the rearmost point of the new heel insubstantially the same position during the attaching operation as thatoccupied by the corresponding point of the previous heel. This isoccasioned by the fact that in attaching heels of different sizes therearmost nail in each heel is generally driven from the same driverpassage in the nail block. Also in heel attaching machines adapted tospank a top lift upon a previously attached heel it is commonlydesirable in changing from one size to another that the top lifts ofdifferent sizes be supported with their rearmost points in the samepredetermined position in order that each top lift may be suitablypresented to its heel.

I-Ieretofore in heel attaching machines the heel holders and top liftholders have been so constructed and arranged that in changing the sizeof heels it has been necessary to manually adjust the holders in orderto su port the rearmost point of the new heel or top lift in the sameposition as that in which the corresponding point of the previous heelor top lift has been located.

An object of the present invention is to provide a holder for heels ortop lifts by which the necessity of these adjustments may be obviated.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved holderfor heels or top lifts constructed to sustain blanks of different sizeswith their rearmost points in the same position longitudinally of theholder, and to center the blanks laterally of the holder. The preferredconstruction herein shown and described comprises a gage con-Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, I915.

Serial No. 414,079.

structed to limit rearward movement of a blank in the holder and formedto limit this movement to the same predetermined point regardless of thesize of the blank and means for pressing a blank into engagement withsaid gage. To limit said rearward movement of the blank upon the holderthe rear gage is provided with a stop surface or abutment against whichthe blank is pressed and which is so formed as to cause the rear ends ofblanks of different sizes to be retained in the same positionlongitudinally of the holder. A breast gage is provided to press theblank against the rear gage arranged for movement longitudinally of theholder and held yieldingly toward the rear gage. To the end that therear ends of the blanks may be centered laterally, the rear gage isfurther provided with a pair of spring-pressed members arranged toengage the edges of a blank upon opposite sides and to yield equally inopposite directions as the blank is moved rearwardly toward the abutmentwhich limits its movement. The breast gage is preferably formed toengage the breast edge of the blank at two laterally spaced points inorder that it may exert a rotary positioning action upon the blank inthe event that the longitudinal axis of the blank is out of parallelismwith that of the holder.

Other features of the invention, the ad-v vantages of which will beapparent to one skilled in the art, will be hereinafter described anddefined in the claims.

In the drawings which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, Figure1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a well known form of heelattaching machine equipped with holders embodying the in vention; Fig. 2is a plan view of the holders shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlargedfragmentary plan view illustrating the relative positions of the reargage and the nail block hereinafter referred to; and Fig. 4 is aperspective view illustrating the construction of the rear gage.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a heelholder and 4: a top lift holder carried by a plate 6 mounted forswinging movement in a horizontal plane over the nail block 8. It willbe understood that in the operation of the ma chine to which the presentinvention is shown applied the plate 6, after a heel has with a lateralbeen attached to a shoe by nails driven from the nail passages of thenail block, is moved to bring the top lift holder into the positionpreviously occupied by the heel holder. Secured to the upper face of theplate 6 are guideway plates 14 and 15 which cooperate with said plate toform guideways for the reception of the shanks of the gages hereinafterdescribed. As will appear from the drawings the construction of thegages is the same for the two holders. Each holder comprises a rear gage10 and a breast gage 12, the shanks 18 and 16 of which are received inthe guideways above referred to. The shank of each rear gage is providedextension 17 upon which is formeda stop surface or abutment 20 withwhich the rear end of a lift has engagement. As will appear from Fig. 3the surface 20 is of slightly curved contour in plan. Said surface ispreferably so formed that it will locate the inner ends of lifts ofdifferent sizes in substantially the same position longitudinally of theholder. This result may be secured for example by giving said surface 20a radius of curvature greater than that of the lift of least convexitywhich is to be retained upon the holder. It will be understood, however,that if this surface is shaped in other ways to locate the rear ends ofdifferent sized lifts in substantially the same position. longitudinallyof the holder it will be suiiicient to secure the object of the presentinvention.

Pivotally secured upon the under side of the lateral extension 17 aretwo arms 22 pivoted at 24. The arms 22 are provided with inter-meshinggears 26 and, as will'appear from Fig. 3, are arranged in a symmetricalrelatlon to the surface 20 above re ferred to. The forward end of thearms 22' are held yieldingly together by a spring 28. The approachingmovement of the arms 22 is limited by a pin 30 mounted upon one of thearms and working in a slot in the lateralextension 17. Outward movementof the arms 22 is limited by a shoulder 32 ar ranged to have contactwith the extension 17. In the holder shown on the drawings each reargage is provided with means for adjusting it longitudinally of theholder comprising a thumb screw 38 threaded in a projection 36 upon theshank of the gage and rotatably supported in a bridge 40 at the rear ofthe plate 6. I

Each breast gage 12 in the holder shown comprises a straight bar formedas a lateral extension of the shank 16. The breast gage is pressedyieldingly toward the rear gage by a spring 42 which should be ofsufficient strength to move a heel or top lift rearwardly intoengagement with the surface 20 against the resistance of thespring-actuated arms 22. In the construction shown, the tension of thespring 42 may be varied by changing the location of the rear end of thespring in the series of holes H1 in the plate 6.

In the use of a holder such as is illustrated on the drawings, it willbe understood that the rear gage 10 is given a suitable position toinsure that the rear end of a heel or top lift will lie in properrelation to the rearmost nail passage of the nail block. When a reargage has thus been properly adjusted no further adjustment willordinarily be re quired in attaching heels and top lifts ofdifi'erentsizes. Variation in length of a blank is accommodated by theyielding breast gage and as will be apparent from the drawings variationin width or curvature of the rear end of a blank is taken care of by therear gage above described. In inserting a blank in a holder the breastgage is retracted and the blank placed between the breast gage and therear gage in approximately the correct position. It will be seen thatwhen the breast gage is released it will press the blank rearwardly intoengagement with the abutment 20 upon the rear gage. As the blank ismoved rearwardly it separates the arms 22 which have engagement with theedges of the blanks upon opposite sides and yield equally and thuscenter the rear end of the blank laterally. Should a blank be initiallyplaced with its longitudinal axis slightly out of parallelism with thatof the holder it will be understood that the breast gage 12 willstraighten the lift, partially rotating it into a proper position.

The holder shown on the drawings is not only adapted to accommodateblanks of different sizes without readjustment of the rear gages, but isalso advantageous in that it retains a blank securely in position. Itwill be observed that in the use of the holder shown the blank is notonly gripped longitudinally between the abutment 20 and the yieldingbreast gage, but is also engaged yieldingly at the sides by thespring-pressed arms 22. Liability of a top lift, for example, beingdislodged from the holder as the plate 6 is swung automatically into toplift attaching position is thus effectually prevented.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A blank holder for a heeling machine, comprising a rear pageincluding a normally stationary but adjustable member having a stopsurface concaved upon a larger radius than the curved end of a blank,and a pair of blank centering arms pivotally mounted on and adjustablewith said member and extending obliquely forwardly on either side of thecenter of the stop surface, together with a breast gage mounted forbodily movement toward and from the rear ga 2. In a holder for heels ortop lifts, the

combination with a rear gage formed to locate the rear ends of blanks ofdifierent sizes in substantially the same position longitudinally of theholder and constructed and arranged for adjustment to permit variationof the position of the rear end of a blank, of relatively movablemembers for engaging the rear end of the blank to center it laterally ofthe holder, the said members being mounted upon the rear gage andadjustable with it, and means for positioning the blank angularly andpressing it into engagement with said rear gage.

3. A holder for heels or top lifts having, in combination, a rear gageadjustable forwardly and rearwardly and provided with a curved heelengaging face of such curvature that it can only engage at one point anyheel or top lift to be handled, a spring actuated breast engaging meansmovable toward and from said rear gage, and laterally acting centeringmeans arranged to engage a heel or lift between its rear end and itsbreast end.

4. A holder for top lifts, having in combinatioil, a rear gage having awork engaging face curved to engage a lift at a single point only on itscurved end, a breast gage for holding a blank in engagement with saidrear gage and a plurality of springpressed members arranged to grip theblank upon opposite sides while so held and center the rear end of theblank laterally in its holder.

5. A holder for heels or top lifts, having in combination, an adjustablerear gage, a plurality of relatively movable members v shaped to engagethe rear portion of a blank and arranged to center it in the holder,said members being adjustable simultaneously with the rear gage, and abreast gage for holding the blank in engagement with said rear gage.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK WILLSON GLEASON.

Witnesses:

FRANK WILLIAM GORHAM, FRANK EDGAR WI-IITTEMORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). 0."

